Source: Seahawks interested in Sidney Rice

A source said the Seahawks are interested in bringing back free-agent wide receiver Sidney Rice and have been in talks with him.

The Seahawks released Rice at the end of February to get rid of his $8.5 million salary and clear cap space. Rice missed the second half of last season with a torn ACL. But with Golden Tate signing a five-year deal with Detroit, the Seahawks are interested in bringing Rice back under a new, less expensive contract.

Rice had a vague “non-surgical procedure” done on his knees in Switzerland last offseason, but he never looked the same during the regular season. He struggled to create separation or to make contested catches. His best game came against Jacksonville, when he had five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

But Rice only had 10 catches in his other seven games against better competition. He finished the year with 15 catches for for 231 yards and three touchdowns, and caught only 47 percent of the passes thrown his way, according to Pro Football Focus. That ranked him 101st among receivers in the league last year.

If Rice is able to return healthy and recapture some of his 2012 form, he could still provide the Seahawks a capable big-body receiver. Rice led the Seahawks in receiving yards in 2012, and at 6-foot-4 and 202 pounds, he’s the type of receiver Seattle doesn’t have on its roster.